The Guadalajara-Barcelona match will start at 9:30 PM: this is the reason for the delay

Published New:16/12/2025 - 20:45h

Updated New:16/12/2025 - 21:05h

FC Barcelona's visit to CD Guadalajara will be delayed by half an hour. The match will begin at 9:30 PM due to problems with fans entering the Pedro Escartín Stadium

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed that the match between Club Deportivo Guadalajara and Fútbol Club Barcelona, corresponding to the Copa del Rey 2025-2026 Round of 32, will begin half an hour later than scheduled.

The opening whistle from referee César Soto Grado will be blown at 21:30 hours, due to an unforeseen delay in the fans' entry into the Pedro Escartín Stadium.

According to information leaked by the local press, the delay in opening the stadium gates was authorized by the City Council because the seats in the stands were not properly numbered.

Problems in the Pedro Escartín stands delay the Guadalajara-Barça match

Likewise, the president of Guadalajara, Carlos Ávila, admitted to the 'SER' network that there was a delay in the numbering of the temporary stands and the final security inspection prior to the match.

However, the match, for now, is not at risk of being suspended. In fact, local fans began entering the Pedro Escartín Stadium around 20:30 local time, after more than 5 hours of waiting.

With 40 minutes to go before the new kick-off time for the Cup match, however, access to the temporary stands remained closed. Therefore, fans with tickets for that sector were still unable to enter.

The Pedro Escartín Football Field has a capacity of 6,000 spectators, but expanded its capacity to 8,500 fans to host Barça for the first time in its history, setting up temporary stands that, ultimately, were not properly numbered or inspected in time for the match to start at the scheduled time (21:00 CEST).

Barça will face Guadalajara with a mix of starters and substitutes

The Azulgrana squad inspected the pitch around 20:00 local time, still with an empty stadium and all the fans crowded at the stand entrances waiting for the green light to enter.

Hansi Flick is betting on a mix of starters and regular substitutes for the Copa del Rey Round of 32. Players like Andreas Christensen and Jofre Torrents will take the opportunity to get minutes in a defense that will feature Marc Casadó as right-back and Eric García returning to the center.

The main novelty, without a doubt, is the presence of Ter Stegen in goal, starting for the first time since last May 18th. Marc Bernal also reappears in midfield alongside Frenkie de Jong and Fermín López. In attack, Lamine Yamal will play freely through the center, with Roony Bardghji and Marcus Rashford as wingers.